Navigating College with Learning Disabilities: Helpful Accommodations for Success

College presents unique challenges for all students, but those with specific learning disabilities (SLD) may find the transition particularly overwhelming. These disabilities, which affect how individuals take in, retain, and express information, are often "invisible," leading to misunderstandings and frustrations. Despite having average or above-average intelligence, students with SLD may struggle with oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading comprehension, mathematical calculation, or problem-solving. However, with appropriate accommodations and support, students with SLD can thrive in higher education. This article explores helpful accommodations for students with specific learning disabilities in college, drawing upon expert insights and available resources.

Understanding Learning Disabilities

A learning disability is characterized as a disorder that impacts how individuals with normal or above-average intelligence receive, retain, and express information. It's crucial to recognize that SLD is not indicative of low intelligence or a lack of potential. Instead, it signifies a difference in how the brain processes information.

SLD can manifest differently throughout a person's life. Problems that were apparent in grade school might seem to disappear in high school, only to resurface in college due to increased academic demands. The inconsistent nature of SLD can be frustrating for both the individual and those around them.

It is important to understand that a learning disability is not primarily due to other impairments, environmental factors, or cultural influences. Many college students with learning disabilities are intelligent, talented, and capable. Typically, they have developed a variety of strategies for compensating for their learning disabilities. However, the degree of severity of the disability varies from individual to individual.

Some adults with learning disabilities have social skills problems due to their inconsistent perceptual abilities. These individuals may be unable to detect the difference between sincere and sarcastic comments or may be unable to recognize other subtle changes in tone of voice for the same reason that a person with visual perceptual problems may have trouble distinguishing between the letters "b" and "d".

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Common Types of Learning Disabilities

Several types of learning disabilities can impact a student's college experience:

Dyslexia: Primarily affecting reading, dyslexic students often struggle with recognizing and decoding letter sounds, retrieving known words, rote memory, spelling, and cursive writing.
Dyscalculia: This math-related learning disability can make it difficult to count, solve simple math problems, sequence numbers, connect numbers to amounts, and read analog clocks.
Dysgraphia: Affecting written expression, dysgraphia can manifest as difficulty holding a pen, staying within margins, and organizing thoughts when writing. There is often a distinct difference between dysgraphic students’ written and spoken experiences.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Though often associated with attention deficits and hyperactivity, ADHD can also involve challenges with executive functioning, sensory sensitivities, and social environments. Learners with ADHD are often challenged by an abundance of attention, making it difficult to regulate and control their focus.
Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD): NVLD impacts social skills and abstract thinking, despite strong verbal skills. College students with NVLD may excel academically but struggle with executive functioning, sensory and social environments, and picking up on nonverbal cues.

Functional Limitations and the Need for Accommodations

Students with SLD may experience a range of functional limitations that necessitate accommodations in the college environment:

Auditory perception and processing: Difficulty processing information communicated through lectures or class discussions.
Visual perception and processing: Difficulty distinguishing subtle differences in shapes or images, leading to slow reading speeds.
Abstract reasoning: Difficulty understanding complex concepts requiring high-level reasoning skills.
Memory (long-term, short-term): Challenges with storing and recalling information.
Spoken and written language: Difficulties with spelling, grammar, and expressing thoughts coherently.
Mathematical calculation: Difficulty manipulating numbers and solving mathematical problems.
Executive functioning (planning and time management): Difficulty breaking down projects, creating timelines, and meeting deadlines.

College Accommodations and Assistive Technology

To ensure equal access to education, all colleges are legally required to provide certain supports and services to students with learning disabilities, as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits disability discrimination by public entities. However, the level of support varies across institutions. Students should research the accommodations and services offered at different schools to find the best fit.

It is vital to become familiar with and use the protections the ADA provides. When considering that a lack of accommodation can be the impairment that makes a student’s neurodivergence, disability, or characteristic a challenge, students may find it vital to become familiar with and use the protections the ADA provides.

Commonly Available Accommodations

Extended time on exams: Providing additional time to complete tests and exams.
Use of laptops for tests and exams: Allowing students to type their answers instead of writing by hand.
Use of calculators for tests and exams: Permitting the use of calculators for math-related assessments.
Permission to make audio recordings of classes: Enabling students to record lectures for later review. Some schools may loan out smart pens for this purpose.
Reduced course load: Allowing students to take fewer courses per semester, although this may impact financial aid.
Priority registration for courses: Giving students with disabilities the ability to register for classes early.
Copies of notes from a classmate: Providing access to notes taken by a peer in the class.
Access to audiobooks: Offering course materials in audio format.
Access to voice recognition software: Allowing students to dictate their written assignments.
Access to text-to-speech programs: Enabling students to have written text read aloud.

Accommodations That May Be More Difficult to Obtain

Extended time on papers and projects: Typically granted on a case-by-case basis for students facing acute medical or psychological episodes.
Course waivers and substitutions: Colleges may choose to offer these, but are not required to.
Alternative exam formats: Such as oral exams instead of written exams, which are not commonly granted.

Other Services

Training in adaptive technology: Providing instruction on how to use assistive software and devices.
Help with study skills and time management: Offering workshops and individual support to improve academic skills.
Learning specialists: Providing individualized support and guidance (may cost extra).
Mentoring programs: Connecting students with mentors who can offer advice and support.
Student support groups: Creating a community for students with disabilities to connect and share experiences.

Assistive Software and Technology

Colleges and universities offer a wide range of adaptive technology for students facing challenges in traditional learning environments. These may include word-prediction apps to help dyslexic students process text, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) software that speaks for nonverbal students, time-blocking software to help ADHD learners stay on task, and stress management tools.

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Here are some examples of assistive software:

Web Captioner: Provides real-time captioning, making lectures and events accessible to students who struggle to process speech. The captions appear within seconds, and the software is customizable, allowing students to change their language, font, color, background, and text position.
Ginger: Powered by artificial intelligence, Ginger is a free writing assistant that provides context-based corrections in real time. Ginger is available both as a Google Chrome extension and as a desktop app. The software can help boost students’ creativity and increase writing speed.
Dyslexia Toolbox: The Dyslexia Toolbox is a Google Chrome extension that facilitates reading for dyslexic students. It also hides portions of pages to allow users to concentrate on specific passages of text.

Advocating for Yourself

Students with learning disabilities sometimes need extra support in school. In 2021, nearly 20% of college undergraduates had learning disabilities. Those who choose to enroll in college and who have learning disabilities may find it useful to advocate for any needed changes in their environments. They can consult the ADA to make sure their colleges accommodate them and enable them to succeed.

Self-Identification and Documentation

If a student wishes to formalize disability support services the student must self-identify needs for accommodations in advance with Academic Resources and Services. The student must create an AIM profile and upload current documentation to the profile which establishes that the student has a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (see Documentation” for further details). Note: Having received accommodations in high school through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan does not automatically make a student eligible for services in college. The student must register for services and provide supporting documentation for review; IEPs are not acceptable forms of documentation. Colleges will only know if a student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan if they share this information with their school’s disability services office. Colleges and universities do not use IEP or 504 plans as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) doesn’t apply to students who have graduated from high school.

Approaching Professors and Resource Centers

When a student is feeling unsure or has experienced any difficulties, it is essential for them to articulate and discuss these issues with their professors. The first strategy I would encourage a student to do is schedule a meeting or drop by their professors’ office and express precisely what they are feeling. Before or after class, a student can also talk with professors to request support or help. The same can be done for campus resource centers, but a student should be sure to seek out the director or manager of these departments to schedule a meeting.

The Importance of Communication

After notification of accommodations, students are encouraged to meet each of their faculty to discuss their accommodations. The student with a disability is the best source of information regarding necessary accommodations. The student with a disability is responsible for meeting all course requirements using only approved accommodations. In postsecondary settings it is the student’s responsibility to request disability related accommodations. It is the responsibility of the student to request modifications if the provided accommodations are not effective.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Beyond individual accommodations, instructors can implement universal design principles to create a more inclusive learning environment for all students. UD offers suggestions such as:

Include a statement in your syllabus inviting students to talk with you and the disability services office about disability-related issues.
Point out campus resources available to all students such as tutoring centers, study skills labs, counseling centers, and computer labs.
Clearly and early in a course define course requirements, announce the dates of exams, and tell students when assignments are due. Avoid last-minute readings or additional assignments and provide advance notice of changes in assignments and due dates.
Provide printed materials early to allow students sufficient time to read and comprehend the material.
Use multi-modal methods to present classroom material, in order to address a variety of learning styles and strengths (e.g., auditory, visual, kinesthetic). Provide important information in both oral and written formats.
When teaching a lesson, state objectives, review previous lessons, and summarize periodically.
Use more than one way to demonstrate or explain information.
Read aloud what you write on the board or present on an overhead visual.
Keep instructions brief and uncomplicated. Repeat them word-for-word.
Allow time for clarification of directions and essential information.
Use captioned videos and know how to turn on the captioning feature.

Resources for Students with Learning Disabilities

Several organizations and resources are dedicated to supporting students with learning disabilities:

National Center for Learning Disabilities: This organization supports research about learning disabilities and innovative practices by providing grants and leadership.
LD OnLine: Provides current information and resources about learning disabilities, including monthly columns written by experts, first-person essays by people with disabilities, and an exhaustive resources guide.
The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity: Aims to turn people with dyslexia into confident, successful students and adults by sharing resources and scientific research.
NeuroGuides: Offers one-on-one coaching for people with disabilities tailored to each individual.
Genius Within: Provides assessments and workshops for neurodivergent college students to ensure they understand their abilities in relation to their education and career plans.
ADDitude: Houses the latest research on ADHD and other learning disabilities.
Planning Across the Spectrum: Provides financial planning services for the disability community.
The Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) is the centralized resource center for support for students with disabilities at the Claremont Colleges.
Department of Academic Resources and Services (ARS) is to provide support and resources for Scripps College students to positively impact and enhance their academic experience. ARS acknowledges that our campus community is comprised of varying needs and offers an assortment of programs and services to aid students toward academic success.

Overcoming Stigma and Fostering Inclusion

Learning disabilities often go undiagnosed until a person who is neurodivergent has been in a specific situation. For example, dyslexia was undetectable until societal demands required people to read. Now that a formal education requires significant reading, dyslexic students may experience disability at school. Learning disabilities manifest in a variety of ways, including in social situations. For students whose neurodivergences include sensory sensitivities, working well in traditional learning environments can be difficult. These learners may also face bullying and discrimination, especially in social settings.

In order to eliminate and address stigmas that may be associated with learning disabilities on campus, a student can join a group or start an organization on campus that openly supports and respects everyone’s understanding of learning disabilities. The student can utilize this platform to hold events and foster and cultivate a genuinely inclusive collegiate campus.

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